 Finland in New York Harbor 1906
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | SS Finland |
| Namesake | Finland |
| Operator |
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| Port of registry |
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| Builder | William Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia |
| Yard number | 312 |
| Launched | 21 June 1902 |
| Fate | chartered by War Department for the U.S. Army |
 United States | |
| Name | USS Finland (ID-4543) |
| Acquired | 24 April 1918 |
| Commissioned | 26 April 1918 |
| Decommissioned | 15 November 1919 |
| Stricken | 15 November 1919 |
| Fate | Transferred to War Department, 15 November 1919; returned to Red Star Line |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 22,400 (full) |
| Length | 580 ft (180 m) |
| Beam | 60 ft 2 in (18.34 m) |
| Draft | 31 ft 4 in (9.55 m) |
| Propulsion | 2 × triple-expansion steam engines, twin screw propellers |
| Speed | 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Complement | 414 |
| Armament |
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SS Finland was an American-flagged ocean liner built in 1902 for the Red Star Line. During World War I she served as a transport for the United States Navy named USS Finland (ID-4543). Before her Navy service in 1917, she was also USAT Finland for the United States Army.
SS Finland sailed for several subsidiary lines of International Mercantile Marine, including the Red Star Line, and also under charter for the White Star Line, the Panama Pacific Line, and the American Line. Sailing out of New York, she sailed primarily to ports in the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Italy. She also briefly sailed on New York to San Francisco, California, service. In 1912, Finland was chartered by the American Olympic Committee to take the U.S. team to the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden.
At the entry of the United States into World War I in April 1917, the liner was chartered by the United States Army as USAT Finland. She made five transatlantic runs under Army control ferrying troops to Europe. On the return portion of her third voyage, Finland was torpedoed by U-93, but was able to safely return to port for repairs. In April 1918, Finland was transferred to the U.S. Navy and commissioned as USS Finland. She completed an additional five voyages to Europe, carrying almost 13,000 troops. After the Armistice, she returned over 32,000 troops to the United States before being decommissioned in September 1919.
After her Navy service ended, she was returned to International Mercantile Marine, resumed her original name of SS Finland, and served on New York to Europe routes until 1923, when she returned to New York–San Francisco service. Finland was scrapped in 1928.